Archive for March 18th, 2014

Steve Cropper had a once-in-a-lifetime chance, in 1960, to become a road warrior. Yet, even while riding the crest of attention afforded by a breakout hit called “Last Night” with the Mar-Keys, the former music-shop clerk knew he had a difficult choice to make.

It’s an old, familiar tale for these guys now, as another implosion last summer left the once-promising traditional metal outfit White Wizzard reeling again. The band split in ugly fashion with latest singer Michael Joseph, as accusations flew back and forth between the camps.

Paul Stanley isn’t letting the Hall of Fame get the last word. Joel Peresman has asserted that the hall limited Kiss’ induction honorees to the band’s original lineup because successive members simply took up earlier personas — comments Stanley now says are “nonsense” and “half truths.”

Rob Mazurek and Chad Taylor’s deft application of lo-fi electronics to out-jazz has been celebrated here a few times, and Locus, their second release with Northern Spy Records, is another reason to celebrate.

“Strangered In The Night” is the second and final song on Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers that is a leftover from Petty’s solo record sessions, therefore not technically qualifying as a Heartbreakers song.

Top Topham’s recent rejoining with the Yardbirds — for whom he served as original lead guitarist in their art-school days — was a chance to come full circle. He began that journey here, however, in an often-overlooked reunion with drummer Jim McCarty.

As I listen to pianist Matthew Shipp’s latest release, there’s a part of me that finds it difficult to not be unduly influenced by the knowledge that Shipp thinks that Stanley Crouch is a horse’s ass. That influence is hard to ignore, since one of the qualities of Shipp’s pronouncements is total honesty. A beautiful and rare thing.